Category Archives: Tahitian Names

The name is derived from the Latin Roman family name, Paulus, which could translate as meaning, “small, short; humble; few.”

Paul and his various forms has to be one of the most common male names used throughout the Christian world. It has been used equally among Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics and Protestants.

Its most famous bearer was Paul of Tarsus, whose real name wasSaul. St. Paul, as referred to by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, is attributed as being the author of much of the New Testament.

The name was borne by several popes, royals and saints thereafter.

Currently, its Germanic form of Paul is the 8th most popular male name in Germany, (2011). His rankings in other countries are as follows:

The name comes directly from the Rapa Nui word for flower. Rapa Nui is a language spoken on Eastern Island closely related to the other Polynesian languages like Tahitian. In Tahitian, the name means the same thing.

Spelled Thiare (not the correct spelling but the same derivative) the name is the 45th most popular female name in Chile, (2010).

The name is composed of the Germanic elements, hrod (fame) and beraht meaning (bright). In Pre-Norman England, the name existed in the form of Hreodbeorht and was replaced by the now more favored Robert after the Norman Conquest.

The name has been consistently popular in the English-speaking world since. It has been worn by hundreds of notable bearers, including two French kings, three Scottish kings, (Robert the Bruce being one) and several saints.

Currently, Robert ranks in as the 49th most popular male name in the United States, (2008). His rankings in other countries are as follows:

# 80 (Canada, B.C., 2008)

# 89 (England/Wales, 2008)

# 44 (Hungary, 2008)

# 49 (Ireland, 2008)

# 56 (Scotland, 2009)

Robert has introduced several offshoots, the Medieval English diminutive form of Robin was the name of the protagonist of the legendary Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. It is also used in Scandinavia and in German-speaking countries.

Its low Germanic counterpart of Rupert was popularized in Austria via an early Christian saint and was later introduced into England by Prince Rupert of the Rhine, a military commander and nephew of King Charles I. The name has enjoyed some usage in England ever since.

Other forms of the name include:

Hreodbeorht (Anglo-Saxon)

Roupen (Armenian)

Roparzh/Roperzh (Breton)

Robert Роберт (Catalan/Danish/Dutch/Croatian/Czech/English/Estonian/Finnish/French/German/Polish/Romanian/Russian/Serbian/Slovene)

Robrecht (Dutch/Afrikaans: rare, archaic)

Rupert (Dutch/English/German/Polish)

Robin (English/Finnish/Scandinavian)

Roobert (Finnish)

Roopertti (Finnish)

Robèrto (Fruilian)

Roberte (Galician)

Robrecht (German: rare, archaic)

Rodebrecht/Rotebert (German: rare, archaic)

Rudbert/Ruotbert (German: archaic)

Ruprecht (German: rare, archaic)

Rovēros/Rovértos Ροβῆρος Ροβέρτος (Greek)

Röpke (Frisian/Plattdeutsch)

Róbert (Hungarian/Icelandic/Slovak)

Roibeard (Irish-Gaelic)

Robertino (Italian: rare, originally a diminutive form)

Roberto (Italian/Portuguese/Spanish)

Robertus/Rupertus (Late Latin)

Roberts (Latvian)

Robertu (Leonese/Sardinian)

Robertas (Lithuanian)

Raibeart (Scottish Gaelic)

Robbetto (Sicilian)

Ruperto (Spanish)

Ropati (Tahitian)

Hopkin/Hopcyn (Welsh: originally a Medieval Welsh diminutive, occasionally used as an independent given name and now more associated with the surname).